Scottish Address Help

drofluf · October 2023

My son lives in flat 3 on the third floor in Edinburgh, He refers to it as 3F3 3 <redacted> Street or sometimes Flat 9 3 <redacted> Street.

I'm trying to send him a parcel by the Royal Mail - but their site lists 9/3 <redacted> Street or 3/9.

Which is correct?

I'd ask him but, being a student he won't wake for ages and won't answer if he is awake!

MikeS · October 2023

If the door number is 3 and the flat is flat 9 on the 3rd floor, Its 3/9. If the flat number is also 3, Its 3/3. You could always also put (Flat 9) in brackets, just to cover yourself.

DiscoStu · October 2023

My mate lives in Edinburgh. He's in flat 7 at 1 xxx Road. He gave me his address as 1/7 xxx Road.

ICBM · October 2023

3/9 is correct if the street door ('stair' in Scots) number is 3.

euan · October 2023

I assume it’s Flat 3 Floor 3 which would be the third flat on the third floor which is actually fourth floor as it starts at Floor 0.

3/3 3 Street Name would be what I’d do.

BillDL · October 2023

"The hoose on the middle landin' wi' the rid door" would probably suffice

drofluf · October 2023

Thanks all. Unfortunately I’m limited by the options in Royal Mail’s dropdown list but he’s obviously got a lecture so is up and confirmed as 3/9

Sassafras · October 2023

If we're confused, how must the poor postman feel?

ewal · October 2023

Don't assume this is standard for all Scottish addresses. No such standard exists. My advice would be go with what the Royal Mail address checker states.

I'm that saddo who has been involved professionally with address data and associated standards and conventions for over 25 years... Someone has to do it!

Jeremiah · October 2023

I'm not sure if it's just Edinburgh where the strange convention of referring to flats by floor/number is used, eg 3F3.

But does anyone know why "P" is used to signify ground floor in this system? - e.g. I have seen ground floor flat 3 written as PF3 rather than 0F3 or GF3 which would appear to make more sense.

drofluf · October 2023

Jeremiah said:

I'm not sure if it's just Edinburgh where the strange convention of referring to flats by floor/number is used, eg 3F3.

But does anyone know why "P" is used to signify ground floor in this system? - e.g. I have seen ground floor flat 3 written as PF3 rather than 0F3 or GF3 which would appear to make more sense.

In Italy P means Piano and is used for ground floor as well as to play quietly and for a musical instrument. But I didn’t think Scotland’s Italian community has that much influence.

Philly_Q · October 2023

drofluf said:

Jeremiah said:

I'm not sure if it's just Edinburgh where the strange convention of referring to flats by floor/number is used, eg 3F3.

But does anyone know why "P" is used to signify ground floor in this system? - e.g. I have seen ground floor flat 3 written as PF3 rather than 0F3 or GF3 which would appear to make more sense.

In Italy P means Piano and is used for ground floor as well as to play quietly and for a musical instrument. But I didn’t think Scotland’s Italian community has that much influence.

And in Spain it's Planta meaning floor or level. But I'd guess Scotland's Spanish community is even smaller than its Italian one.

stimpsonslostson · October 2023

As others have said, it's street number/flat number. In my case
I live at number 27, flat 4 so I use 27/4 Street name.

Though some postcode finders list my address as:

Flat 4
27 street name
Edinburgh..

It's now 8pm- 12 hours after you asked and has now gone dark here in Edinburgh so you can probably call them and ask.. though you might interrupt breakfast.

Paul_C · October 2023

From Reddit (I left out the last sweary paragraph):

Postie here. There isn't really a standard format in Edinburgh. It's a pain in the arse. I deliver to mostly stairs, and even identical stairs right next to each other won't be the same.

For example, building 2 begins on the bottom floor with flats 1 and 2. They also get mail addressed to PF1 and PF2, respectively. Flats 3 and 4 are 1f1 and 1f2, and it carries on with the same pattern to the top.

However, the very next building, literally identical to the first, has the addresses backwards. Flat 1 and 2 are PF2 and PF1, flats 3 and 4 are 1F4 and 1F3 respectively. The buildings are IDENTICAL.

This is not the most bizarre one, either. There's a building that counts DOWN, flat 6 and 5 are on the ground floor, 1 and 2 are at the top. Another has flats 1, 2, and 3 running up one side of the building, flats 4, 5, and 6 up the other side, so the ground floor has flats 1 and fucking 4!!!

Plus, you have buildings that just have letters (flats A, B, C), which aren't necessarily in alphabetical order. Or (and these are the most annoying), building with no flat numbers at all, the postie is just expected to know which flat each person lives in. Bastards.

Ddigger · October 2023

Great post by the Postie!

As it's Embra, you also need to account for the basements in the New Town.

My Gran lived in the basement and there were two floors below her.

TTony · October 2023

Philly_Q said:

drofluf said:

Jeremiah said:

I'm not sure if it's just Edinburgh where the strange convention of referring to flats by floor/number is used, eg 3F3.

But does anyone know why "P" is used to signify ground floor in this system? - e.g. I have seen ground floor flat 3 written as PF3 rather than 0F3 or GF3 which would appear to make more sense.

In Italy P means Piano and is used for ground floor as well as to play quietly and for a musical instrument. But I didn’t think Scotland’s Italian community has that much influence.

And in Spain it's Planta meaning floor or level. But I'd guess Scotland's Spanish community is even smaller than its Italian one.

It's the historic French influence - much more significant in Scottish history than either the current day Italian or Spanish communities.

P indicates "pissoir".

It's where you stop on your way back home after a few pints of heavy. Obviously, you'd not manage stairs in such a situation, so it's typically the ground floor entrance that's used.

stufisher · October 2023

... brilliant @TTony

ewal · October 2023

Tony's reasoning sounds about right

From https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/file/24511/statutory-addressing-charter

Numbering Flats

It is recognised that Edinburgh has a unique character which also translates into the flat numbering systems used. Edinburgh has two main flat numbering systems in operation; the traditional tenement numbering system e.g. GF1,1F1 and the modern flat numbering conventions e.g. Flat 1, Flat 2. Where development takes place within properties with the traditional tenement numbering, this numbering system will be retained. New development will be allocated the modern flat numbering convention. Properties in common stairs must be allocated a main street number. Numbers are then allocated internally to each flat for example, Flat 1, Flat 2. For the traditional tenement numbering system, flats are allocated numbers in the form 1F1, 1F2, etc. 1F1 should be interpreted as 1st Floor, Flat 1. The rotation of the internal numbers follows the rotation of the staircase, with the highest number being located at the door furthest from the last riser on the stair.

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